The present invention is directed to telecommunications chassis and associated modules. More specifically, the present invention is directed to chassis and module structures that facilitate high-density mounting and/or facilitate electrical to optical signal conversion.
Chassis for housing telecommunications modules provide a structure for protecting the modules from externalizes while providing heat dissipation for circuitry contained on the modules and while shielding the modules from electromagnetic interference. Furthermore, a chassis may be required to control flame spread should a fire ever be imposed within the chassis. In the case of modules that have fiber optic cable connections, the chassis additionally may be required to accommodate and manage fiber cables connected to one or more modules. These fiber cables must maintain a bend radius of greater than a certain amount to prevent fiber breaks and/or signal attenuation.
As the density of modules within a given chassis volume increases, the functions expected of the chassis generally become more difficult to accomplish. The number of heat generating components increases while the spacing between modules decreases. Additionally, a greater number of data signals pass through the chassis presenting a higher signal vulnerability and likelihood of signal cross-talk. Specifically, when the modules have fiber cable connections, the chassis must manage a greater number of cables, and the likelihood of overbending one or more of the cables increases.
Chassis that can accommodate a high density of modules with the ability to convert electrical signals to optical and optical to electrical are useful in various applications. For example, electrical to optical and optical to electrical conversion are useful in applications where signals arrive in electrical media but must be distributed over distances greater than is possible over a continuous electrical conductor. Signals may only be transferred relatively limited distances on electrical conductors due to attenuation before repeaters must be introduced to reconstruct the signal. However, fiber conductors can carry a signal over distances many times greater than electrical conductors. Therefore, applying an electrical to optical conversion for a signal prior to distribution and then optical to electrical conversion near the destination eliminates the need for the interposed repeater circuits. Also, employing one large diameter fiber optic cable reduces the clutter that would result from the many coaxial cables that would be necessary.
Generally, these conversions must be done for a large number of communications channels, as is the case when providing communications within a high-rise building where the electrical to optical conversion occurs at the ground floor and optical signals are distributed to the various floors of the building. In such an environment, it is generally desirable to minimize the clutter of equipment so module density within a chassis may be relatively high. Furthermore, some applications require conversions for one data rate while other applications require conversions at another data rate. Thus, there is a need for chassis and module structures that facilitate a high density of telecommunications circuits, including those performing electrical to optical and optical to electrical conversions at one or more data rates.
Embodiments of the present invention provide structures that enable a relatively high density of circuits to be contained on modules housed within a chassis. Embodiments provide module mounting structures and ventilation structures to dissipate heat developed by the circuitry within the chassis, but control the spread of flames should a fire be imposed. Structures for managing cables and preventing overbending are also provided for both chassis and module embodiments. Embodiments also provide modules with circuitry for converting signals from electrical to optical or optical to electrical at multiple data rates.
The present invention may be viewed as a chassis for holding telecommunications cards. The chassis includes first and second horizontal surfaces and vertical sidewalls mounted to the first and second horizontal surfaces. The first horizontal surface has a first ridge positioned substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the vertical sidewalls, and the first horizontal surface also has a plurality of card slots extending across the first horizontal surface but not across the first ridge. The card slots are substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vertical sidewalls. The second horizontal surface has a first ridge with a plurality of card slots extending across the first ridge of the second horizontal surface that are substantially parallel to the plurality of card slots of the first horizontal surface.
The present invention may be viewed as another chassis for holding telecommunications cards. The chassis includes first and second horizontal surfaces and vertical sidewalls mounted to the first and second horizontal surfaces. The first horizontal surface has a first portion with a plurality of card slots, and the plurality of card slots extend across the first portion to an edge of the first horizontal surface and are substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vertical sidewalls. The first horizontal surface also has a divider slot between adjacent card slots, and the divider slot is substantially parallel to the plurality of card slots of the first horizontal surface but does not extend to the edge of the first horizontal surface.
The present invention may be viewed as a telecommunications module. The module includes a circuit board that has a first edge. A fiber optic cable connector is mounted to the circuit board along the first edge, and the fiber optic cable connector has a cable connection axis forming an angle with the first edge. At least a portion of the fiber optic cable connector extends beyond the first edge. A faceplate is mounted to the circuit board, and the faceplate has a first portion substantially parallel to the first edge, a second portion substantially parallel to the connection axis of the fiber optic cable connector, and a third portion substantially perpendicular to the connection axis of the fiber optic cable connector. Circuitry is included on the circuit board for converting electrical signals to optical signals or optical signals to electrical signals.
The present invention may be viewed as another telecommunications module. The module includes a circuit board containing circuitry for transferring signals, and the circuit board has a first edge. A fiber optic cable connector is mounted to the circuit board along the first edge, and the fiber optic cable connector has a connection axis forming an angle with the first edge. A shell including first and second sidewalls separated by first and second horizontal surfaces and by a first vertical surface is included. The circuit board and the fiber optic cable connector are mounted within the shell between the first and second sidewalls and between the first and second horizontal surfaces, and the first vertical surface has a first portion substantially parallel to the first edge of the circuit board, a second portion substantially parallel to the connection axis of the fiber optic cable connector, and a third portion substantially perpendicular to the connection axis of the fiber optic cable connector. The first and second sidewalls abut the first portion, second portion, and third portion of the first vertical surface. The module also has a connector mounted to the printed circuit board that extends beyond the shell.
The present invention may be viewed as another chassis for holding telecommunications modules. The chassis includes first and second horizontal surfaces and vertical sidewalls mounted to the first and second horizontal surfaces. A first cover surface that is substantially perpendicular to the vertical sidewalls is positioned between the first and second horizontal surfaces, and the first cover surface has a first substantially vertical portion, a second portion angled with respect to the first substantially vertical portion, and a third portion angled with respect to the first substantially vertical first portion and substantially perpendicular to the second portion.
The present invention may be viewed as another chassis for holding telecommunications modules. The chassis includes first and second vertical sidewalls and first and second horizontal surfaces mounted to the first and second vertical sidewalls. A first baffle surface is disposed between the first and second vertical sidewalls, and the first baffle surface is substantially perpendicular to the first and second vertical sidewalls and is angled with respect to the first and second horizontal surfaces.
The present invention may be viewed as another chassis for holding telecommunications modules. The chassis includes first and second horizontal surfaces and vertical sidewalls mounted to the first and second horizontal surfaces. A cable guide is mounted to the first horizontal surface or the first and second vertical sidewalls, and the cable guide has a horizontal portion, a vertical portion, and a plurality of cable slots. A plurality of radius limiters is disposed within the cable guide with each radius limiter being adjacent to one of the plurality of cable slots.
The present invention may be viewed as another telecommunications module. The module includes a circuit board containing circuitry for transferring signals, the circuit board having a first edge with a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. The module also includes a fiber optic cable connector mounted to the circuit board along the second portion. The fiber optic cable connector has a connector axis perpendicular to the second portion, with the second portion being angled with respect to the first portion and the third portion. The second portion interconnects the first portion to the third portion, and the first portion and the third portion are parallel but within a different spatial plane.
The present invention may be viewed as a telecommunications module that includes an optical connector and circuitry connected to the optical connector. The circuitry is configured to selectively convert electrical signals having a first data rate or electrical signals having a second rate different than the first rate to optical signals. The present invention may also provide for more than two data rates.
The present invention may be viewed as a telecommunications module that includes an optical connector and circuitry connected to the optical connector. The circuitry is configured to selectively convert optical signals to electrical signals having a first data rate or to electrical signals having a second data rate different than the first data rate. The present invention may also provide for more than two data rates.
The present invention may be viewed as another chassis for holding telecommunications modules. The chassis includes first and second horizontal surfaces and vertical sidewalls mounted to the first and second horizontal surfaces. A first cover surface is substantially perpendicular to the vertical sidewalls and disposed between the first and second horizontal surfaces. The first cover surface has a first substantially vertical portion, a second portion angled with respect to the first portion, and a third substantially vertical portion, and the second portion interconnects the first portion and the third portion. A second cover surface is spaced horizontally from the first cover surface and is substantially perpendicular to the vertical sidewalls and between the first and second horizontal surfaces. The second cover surface has a first substantially vertical portion, a second portion angled with respect to the first portion, and a third substantially vertical portion, wherein the second portion interconnects the first portion and the third portion. An opening to the interior of the chassis is defined by the first cover surface, second cover surface, and first and second horizontal surfaces.
The present invention may be viewed as another chassis for holding telecommunication modules. The chassis includes a first horizontal surface and vertical sidewalls mounted to the first horizontal surface. The first horizontal surface has a first ridge positioned substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the vertical sidewalls, and the first horizontal surface has a second ridge positioned substantially parallel to but spaced from the first ridge. The first horizontal surface also has a plurality of card slots extending across at least a portion of the first horizontal surface, and the card slots are substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vertical sidewalls. The first and second ridges have at least one opening between adjacent card slots. The chassis also includes a plurality of modules positioned between the vertical sidewalls and on the first horizontal surface. The plurality of modules have an edge disposed in the card slot of the first horizontal surface and have circuitry for converting electrical signals to optical or optical signals to electrical signals. The circuitry includes an optics transceiver positioned over the first ridge and a DC-DC converter positioned over the second ridge.
The present invention may be viewed as another chassis for holding telecommunications modules. The chassis includes a horizontal surface having a width of a first dimension and first and second vertical walls mounted to horizontal surface. The first and second vertical sidewalls form spatial planes parallel to the first dimension. The chassis also includes a horizontal channel extending between the first and second vertical sidewalls and spaced from the horizontal surface. The horizontal channel has a plurality of horizontal card slots extending parallel to the spatial planes of the vertical sidewalls, and the horizontal channel has a width of the first dimension less than the width of the first dimension of the horizontal surface.
The present invention may also be viewed as another chassis for holding telecommunications modules. The chassis includes a horizontal surface and first and second vertical walls mounted to the horizontal surface. The chassis also includes a first baffle surface disposed between the first and second vertical walls, and the baffle surface forms an angle relative to the horizontal surface. One or more vertical divider walls are disposed between the first and second vertical walls, and the one or more vertical divider walls have a first edge parallel to the baffle surface and a second edge parallel to the horizontal surface.